Why Didn't I Think of That?

Why Didn't I Think of That?

Digital technology creates infinite possibilities for experimentation and
creativity. For marketers, this means there's lots you can do, and lots you wish
you did. We asked five members of Google's Creative Council, a group of creative
thinkers from today's top digital agencies, to tell us about a recent campaign or
project that made them envious.

Put Google research and insight behind your thinking

In a Nutshell: A microcontroller board used to build creations
with Google’s Voice Search for Desktop

The Verbalizer is one of several ‘experiment-meets-art-meets-communication’ ideas
to come out of the talented and curious minds at digital agency Breakfast in Brooklyn. Like
many of their other projects, it builds on a popular or emerging technology and
adds a new layer to make that technology more fun, more human or accessible – in
this instance, encouraging us to think about how we might play with Google Voice
Search. I love the fact that there are companies wanting to tease other people’s
technology in this way. Some ideas will scale while others may simply act as
provocation and inspiration for the rest of us. Either way, it’s the freshest kind
of thinking out there.

In a Nutshell: Fan-based social marketing for Kaiser Chiefs’
comeback album

Wieden+Kennedy launched
the new Kaiser Chiefs album not by making ads, but by thinking about how technology
can re-imagine the concept of the ‘album’ in a music environment increasingly
defined by single-track downloads. Fans can create their own album by choosing 10
of the 20 official tracks and designing their own artwork. But the real magic comes
by turning these fans into media and retailers. Each is given their own webpage
hosting their version of the album alongside social media tools to share it and
banner ads for their blog. For every copy they sell, fans receive a pound. It’s a
brilliant way for a band to break back onto the scene by harnessing the power of a
fan base.

While magazine columnist Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller
posted their first video in September 2010, this YouTube initiative to bring hope
and support to LGBT youths really took off in 2011 after video contributions from
the likes of Barack Obama and Lady Gaga. By tapping into a collective anger and
inviting anyone to join the community to share their message, It Gets Better
demonstrated the power of genuine human stories, the impact of video, and the
remarkable reach that can be achieved by crowdsourcing content. Best of all, it
reminded us that in the age of social media you don’t need a lot of money; you just
need a good idea.

Best of all, it reminded us that in the age of social media you don’t need a lot of
money; you just need a good idea.

I hate QR codes. They exemplify everything bad about technology: Ugly, clumsy, and
often fluffy. Tesco’s Homeplus Virtual Store, however, was a different case
entirely. By leveraging QR codes on South Korea’s subway, it took what can feel
like a clumsy chore and turned it into a convenient process by making shopping
extremely accessible while people commute. Every now and then, we see ideas that
are creative and innovative. But it’s pretty rare that we see something that is
creative, innovative, and could be a global game-changer. While this idea is still
unproven at a mass scale, it just could be something that pushes us forward into
the future.

In a Nutshell: Gaming app offers kids the sensation of driving the
family car

Now that we all have amazing little computers in our pockets, how are you going to
use them creatively to give people a better experience with – or alongside – your
product? This is a brilliant use of mobile to enhance time spent driving with the
family. Smartphones are the new pacifier on long drives. This app gives kids their
own driving game to play in the backseat, mimicking the actual movement of the car
through GPS. Today, the best ads are ones you can use, and this is something
everyone in the family can appreciate. And since the game can be played in any car
– regardless of make or model – it’s also a clever way to sneak the Toyota brand
into the backseats of the competition.